1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to educational toys and, more particularly, to a skeleton toy with an outer, two-piece shell.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Educational toys that simulate animals or other figures are known. Unlike prior art educational, animal simulating toys, the present invention provides an educational and recreational toy in the form of an internal, complete skeleton, which may be pigmented with a glow-in-the-dark material, and a two piece, snap together outer shell representing the skin or outer surface of the animal. In one preferred embodiment, the invention takes the forms of dinosaurs.
The relevant prior art discloses dolls or figures with removable, replaceable parts which substantially change the appearance of the underlying figure. The patented art discussed hereinbelow, however, fails to suggest the toy figure of the present invention with an internal body skeleton covered by a shell made of, for example, two snap-together-and-take-apart halves, and which cover substantially all of the underlying skeleton figure but may leave some parts exposed and/or projecting for educational and aesthetic effect and appeal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,886 issued Jun. 11, 1991 to Barbara P. Jenkins teaches a toy doll with rigid clothing accessories added to and removable from the underlying doll figure. A realistic three dimensional figure with an outer shell representing anatomical structure and leaving some internal elements exposed through the shell or casing is not taught or suggested by the Jenkins invention.
A manikin having a rigid attachment so as to convert the appearance of a female torso to a pregnant female torso, the attachment being removable to convert the manikin back to its original form and appearance is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,155 issued Feb. 28, 1978 to Evangeline M. Calvin. The substantial encasing shell structure which completes but does not alter the intended appearance of the figure, as taught and claimed herein, is not seen in the Calvin patent disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,924 issued Nov. 26, 1991 to Beverly L. Munter teaches a doll for simulating weight gain and/or loss, by providing layers of synthetic material "skin" which are added to or removed from the doll, thus to indicate a human form figure with more or less weight, as desired. The shell cover with an internal skeletal figure as taught herein is not suggested by the teachings of the Munter patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,917 issued Mar. 23, 1993 to Mary Russell et al. teaches a stress relief doll which may be in the form of a referee or umpire. The user may tear off arms, legs and even the head of the doll, and later replace the same as these members are attached by hook and loop fasteners or the like. The instant invention with an internal skeleton covered by a shell casing and as further described below is not taught by the Russell et al. patent teachings.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.